Paperboard-made food container

ABSTRACT

A paperboard-made food container includes a base with four sidewalls and a V-shaped main ridge extends from an inner bottom of the base. A V-shaped first groove is defined in an outer bottom of the base and located corresponding to the main ridge. A plurality of elongate slots are defined through the bottom of the base and a V-shaped separation ridge is connected to the inner bottom to cover the slots. A plurality of second grooves are defined in the outer bottom of the base and located corresponding to the separation ridges. A cover is connected to one of the four sidewalls of the base. The bases can be conveniently overlapped with each other by engaging the main ridge with the first groove and engaging the separation ridges with the second grooves.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a paperboard-made food container which includes several separation ridges at the inner bottom and a plurality of grooves in an outer bottom so that the containers can be overlapped by engaging the ridges in the grooves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional paperboard-made food container generally includes a base and a cover which is connected onto an open top of the base. The base includes four sidewalls so as to form a depth for receiving the food. Nevertheless, when two or more than two kinds of food are put in the same base, they are mixed with each other in a messy presentation which is not welcomed by the users. Another paperboard-made food container is composed of two sub-containers and the two sub-containers are glued together. This type of food container involves a high assembling cost and lacks of sufficient structural strength.

The present invention intends to provide a paperboard-made food container which includes separation ridges at an inner bottom of the base so as to prevent form nixing different foods and the food containers are conveniently overlapped with each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a paperboard-made food container which comprises a base having four sidewalls and a main ridge extends from an inner bottom of the base. A first groove is defined in an outer bottom of the base and located in correspondence with the main ridge. A plurality of elongate slots are defined through the bottom of the base and communicate with two opposite sidewalls perpendicular to the elongate slots and the main ridge. A plurality of separation ridges each include two sides plates which are connected at one lengthwise side. Each side plate has a first connection plate at an end thereof and a second connection plate at the other lengthwise side. The first side plates of each of the separation ridges are attached to an inside of the sidewall and the main ridge. The second connection plates are attached to the inner bottom of the base.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plane view to show the paperboard-made food container of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show the food container and one of the separation ridges of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view to show the food container of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows that a plurality of the food containers are overlapped with each other;

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the food container of the present invention, and

FIG. 6 shows yet another embodiment of the food container of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the paperboard-made food container of the present invention comprises a base 20 having a bottom 21 and four sidewalls 22. A cover 10 is connected to one of the four sidewalls 22 of the base 20. A main ridge 23 extends from an inner bottom of the base 20 and the main ridge 23 is formed by folding the bottom 21 of the base 20 so as to form a V-shaped first groove 230 defined in an outer bottom of the base 20 and the first groove 230 is located in correspondence with the main ridge 23. A plurality of elongate slots 24 are defined through the bottom 21 of the base 20 and communicate with V-shaped openings 26 defined through two opposite sidewalls 22 perpendicular to the elongate slots 24 and the main ridge 23.

A plurality of V-shaped separation ridges 30 each include two sides plates which are connected at one lengthwise side. Each side plate has a first connection plate 31 at an end thereof and a second connection plate 32 at the other lengthwise side. The first side plates 31 of each of the separation ridges 30 are attached to an inside of the side wall 22 and the main ridge 23. The second connection plates 32 are attached to the inner bottom of the base 20 so as to define several partitions 25 for receiving different types of food. A plurality of V-shaped second grooves 300 are defined in the outer bottom of the base 20 and communicate with the V-shaped openings 26.

Referring to FIG. 4, the bases 20 of the food containers can be conveniently overlapped with each other by engaging the main ridge 23 with the first groove 230 and engaging the separation ridges 30 with the second grooves 300. By this way, the food containers can be collected and this saves a lot of space.

In the first embodiment as disclosed in FIG. 3, the main ridge 23 is located to be parallel to the sidewall to which the cover 10 is connected. In FIG. 5 which shows another embodiment of the present invention, the main ridge 23′ is located to be perpendicular to the sidewall to which the cover 10 is connected. In FIG. 6, there are two main ridges 23″ which are located to be perpendicular to the sidewall to which the cover 10 is connected.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. A paperboard-made food container comprising: a base (20) having four sidewalls (22) and a main ridge (23) extending from an inner bottom of the base (20), a first groove (230) defined in an outer bottom of the base (20) and located in correspondence with the main ridge (23), a plurality of elongate slots (24) defined through the bottom of the base (20) and communicating with two opposite sidewalls (22) perpendicular to the elongate slots (24) and the main ridge, and a plurality of separation ridges (30) each including two sides plates which are connected at one lengthwise side, each side plate having a first connection plate (31) at an end thereof and a second connection plate (32) at the other lengthwise side, the first side plates (31) of each of the separation ridges (30) attached to an inside of the side wall (22) and the main ridge (23), the second connection plates (32) attached to the inner bottom of the base (20).
 2. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongate slots (24) communicate with a V-shaped opening (26) defined through the sidewalls (22) and the main ridge (23), a plurality of V-shaped second grooves (300) defined in the outer bottom of the base (20) and communicating with the V-shaped openings (26).
 3. The container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the separation ridges (23) are a V-shaped ridge which is sized to be engaged with the second groove (300).
 4. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main ridge (23) is a V-shaped ridge which is sized to be engaged with the first groove (230).
 5. The container as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a cover (10) connected to one of the four sidewalls (22) of the base (20).
 6. The container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the main ridge (23) is located to be parallel to the sidewall to which the cover (10) is connected.
 7. The container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the main ridge (23) is located to be perpendicular to the sidewall to which the cover (10) is connected. 